Republican says he, not Mandel, can beat Brown
ELECTION 2018
Mike Gibbons, one of four Ohio Republicans running for U.S. Senate, on Friday said he’s in the race because he doesn’t think the betterknown Josh Mandel can beat Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.
During a visit to The Dispatch on Friday, Gibbons also sought to distance himself from Gov. John Kasich, Ohio’s Republican governor who ran against nowPresident Donald Trump in last year’s primary and who now is openly feuding with Trump.
After getting into the Ohio Senate race, Gibbons, a Cleveland investment banker, added staff members with connections to Kasich, who has a wellknown dislike for Mandel, the Ohio treasurer. That prompted speculation that Kasich was trying to hamstring Mandel in his second run against Brown.
Gibbons wanted to make it clear Friday that Kasich had nothing to do with his
“I haven’t talked to him in six years. Frankly, I’m disappointed in him.”
— Mike Gibbons about Gov. John Kasich
candidacy.
“I haven’t talked to him in six years,” Gibbons said. “Frankly, I’m disappointed in him.”
Gibbons said he was particularly upset about Kasich’s behavior toward Trump since Kasich dropped out of the race last year.
In 2012, Mandel ran and lost to Brown by a 51-45 margin. Noting that it is rare for first-time losers to win senatorial rematches, Gibbons explained why he got into the race.
“I don’t think Josh can beat Sherrod Brown,” he said. “It’s a mismatch.”
Mandel’s campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment.
In addition to Mandel and Gibbons, Marysville business owner Melissa Ackison and Galloway retiree Don Elijah Eckhart have entered the GOP Senate primary.